Twentieth Century Fox has apologized for a billboard that features Jennifer Lawrence's "X-Men: Apocalypse" character Mystique being strangled.

The billboard has been criticized by some who are offended by the imagery of Oscar Isaac's Apocalypse choking Mystique. Actress and filmmaker Rose McGowan says there's "a major problem when the men and women at 20th Century Fox think casual violence against women is a way to market a film."

In a statement, Fox says that in highlighting the villainy of Apocalypse, "we didn't immediately realize the upsetting connotation of this image in print form."

The studio apologized and says it's removing promotional materials with the image. Fox adds that it "would never condone violence against women."